Chapter Text
On a beautiful afternoon much like any other, the weather is nearly perfect. Soft strains of romantic music waft from the room, blending with the gentle melody playing in the hall.
"Mhm... Kaveh."
A voice resonates from within, filled with tenderness and affection.
"Aww, Hayi, you're just too precious." A tender voice replies to his partner, accompanied by the soft caress of fingertips against warm skin beneath a shirt.
"Habibi." A grey-haired man smiles softly at his lover, his eyes reflecting warmth and adoration. "You're like the sun, warming me."
Kaveh chuckles softly, his voice low and intimate. "And you're my sprout." He leans in to plant a kiss on his partner's lips.
"Are you tired?" Alhaitham asks, wrapping his arms around Kaveh's waist, concern evident in his gaze as he notices the blonde shaking his head.
"No, darling. How could I be tired when I'm with you?" Kaveh replies, his touch gentle as he strokes Alhaitham's thigh, eliciting a soft sigh of contentment.
Sensitized by the affection, Alhaitham runs his fingers through Kaveh's hair, gently brushing his bangs aside. "You haven't eaten since you finished your work, Kaveh."
"I'm just hungry for you," Kaveh responds with a lovesick smile, shifting to hover above his partner, his eyes filled with adoration as he plants kisses along Alhaitham's neck, leaving a trail of affectionate marks.
Alhaitham moans softly, overwhelmed by the sensation, and pulls Kaveh closer, his touch filled with longing and desire.
Kaveh then presses his lips to Alhaitham's ear and cheek, his movements slow and deliberate, savoring every moment of intimacy shared between them.
Alhaitham hums contentedly, his heart full of love, as he reaches for an apple on the table and feeds it to Kaveh, a gesture of care and concern.
Kaveh responded with a hmph as he munched on the apple.
"I don't want your tummy to hurt," Alhaitham murmurs, his touch gentle as he covers Kaveh with a blanket and pulls him close, offering warmth and comfort.
"Perhaps we could take a walk outside to get some fresh air for you," he suggests, his voice filled with tenderness and affection as he gazes at Kaveh, his eyes shining with love.
Kaveh feels comfy from that and gently gazes at him. "Oh honey, you sound like I'm sick." He chuckles. "But if you insist, sure, we can take a stroll around the park."
"Sure," Alhaitham nods. "I heard there are delicious snacks you could try. I will gladly buy everything you need."
The blonde smiles. "You should also eat too, you know, so I don't feel lonely."
Alhaitham nods once again. "Of course." He then crosses his arms. "Until you actually finish that apple."
"Speaking of which, how long has the apple been lying on top of the table? I haven't paid any attention to it."
"Probably 2 months."
"WHAT?" He was going to spit out but Alhaitham quickly covered his mouth, chuckling softly. "I'm just joking. I bought some fruits yesterday since you always crave them so you could eat them while you work."
"You're so caring ever since we started dating." Kaveh gently places his hand on Alhaitham's lap. "Remember the time when you tried to confess to me and you had that cute face of yours?"
"Let's not bring that up." Alhaitham groans and takes a big bite of an apple from Kaveh.
"Hey!" Kaveh yelps and softly hits Alhaitham's chest.
"You're such a slow eater."
"You too! All you eat while you're reading a book, how is that going to make you finish it?"
"By eating and reading."
"... YOU-" Kaveh sighs as he eats the apple quickly, throwing the remaining seeds away into the dustbin. "Mhm, I'm done. Let's go.”
As they both rise from the crunchy bed, preparing themselves for the day, they opt for comfy casual clothing to enjoy the cool breeze outside instead of sweating in the heat.
A few minutes later, Kaveh locks the door behind them as they stroll together along the street.
"Glad the weather's great today; otherwise, I'd be tempted to just crawl back into bed," he sighs.
Alhaitham silently nods in agreement, his gaze fixed ahead.
They walk peacefully until a robotic monotone sound echoes not too far from the park they're heading to, drawing Kaveh's attention.
"That's a cool robot. I almost forgot we live in such a technologically advanced world," he remarks.
"Soon, we'll all be replaced by robots," Alhaitham states bluntly.
Kaveh looks at him oddly. "Pfft. Robots can't make themselves; they still need their humans.”
Alhaitham shakes his head but tries not to upset his partner too much. "It will be a sad reality, Kaveh," he admits, placing a reassuring hand on Kaveh's back. "But you shouldn't worry about that now. I was just stating facts." He looks forward. "It's not like robots are going to be ruling the world anytime soon. There's still plenty of time before that happens."
"Hmm," Kaveh crosses his arms. "Oh well, I suppose you're right." He pauses, deep in thought. "Do robots have feelings? I have a feeling they will."
"No," Alhaitham replies, lowering his eyes. "They do not."
"I'm pretty sure they will have feelings. Only a genius can do that."
"Keep dreaming, Kaveh..." Alhaitham begins, but he's interrupted by the overcrowded park.
Kaveh stops walking and grabs Alhaitham's arm. "Hold on, I don't remember the park being this crowded."
"They're performing a show," Alhaitham explains.
The blonde takes a look and sees a dancer in the park. He sighs. "I see. For once we finally get out and have some free time together, and now we're stuck."
"We can always have a date at the library," Alhaitham suggests.
"That's the MOST boring suggestion ever," Kaveh grumbles, snapping his fingers. "How about we hang out at Albedo's place?"
Alhaitham is suddenly stunned. "Why? No."
"Aww, are you afraid that Albedo will flirt with you?" Kaveh chuckles, amused. He then places his hands on his hips. "Let me think.”
The tall figure just watches his short lover's thoughts as he quietly goes to buy some snacks in the meanwhile.
"Hmm, I'm thinking of a place where we can spend time together without spending too much money," Kaveh muses, crossing his arms and deep in thought. Unbeknownst to him, Alhaitham has wandered off.
"Hello, sir, would you like some fried snacks?" the owner politely suggests to Alhaitham.
The man stands silently, contemplating the selection of snacks. Finally, he speaks up. "Perhaps one packet of fried shrimps," he says, pointing out, "with extra sauce."
The shop owner nods and begins packing up the fried shrimps.
Meanwhile, Kaveh finally decides on a place to spend time with his boyfriend. "Alhaitham! I know where we should go to spend time togeth—" He pauses and looks around. "Now, where is this boy?" He begins to walk, scanning the area for him. "Alhaitham?"
On the other side, a bit further away, Alhaitham returns to the same spot and notices that Kaveh is nowhere to be seen.
"He must be looking for me," he assumes, glancing around for Kaveh. Suddenly, his slack pants get caught on a nail, causing him to stop and kneel down, carefully extracting the fabric from the nail while setting the packet of fried snacks aside.
Out of nowhere, screeching tires and the sound of metal crunching filled the air as a sudden collision rocked the street. Kaveh, lost in thought, barely registered the commotion until it was too late.
"Huh, what??" he exclaimed, panic rising as he realized the danger. "Where the heck did he go?!"
Alhaitham, however, was quicker to react, his senses sharpened by the impending danger. "Drunk driver?" he muttered as he watched the chaotic scene unfold around him.
It wasn't a natural disaster but the result of a drunk driver careening out of control, crashing into the light pole. Kaveh found himself directly in harm's way.
Alhaitham's eyes widened in alarm as he spotted Kaveh, his instinct kicking in. He tossed the packet of shrimps aside and reached out to pull Kaveh to safety, but in doing so, he exposed himself to the brunt of the impact.
"KAVEH!"
"Alhaitham? Oh, Alhaitham, I'm so gla—" Kaveh's words were cut short as he was forcibly pushed away, narrowly avoiding the worst of the collision. He watched in horror as the Alhaitham body flew meters away.
Kaveh felt as if his soul had been ripped from his body, his mind unable to comprehend the devastation before him. With wide eyes, he screamed, "ALHAITHAM?!?!?!" He stumbled to his feet and raced to him, joining the frantic people who watched in horror seeing the man hit.
He ran so fast, his heart pounding with fear. Finally, he uncovered Alhaitham, who lay motionless on the ground, his injuries severe.
"Alhaitham?? Speak to me, love..." Kaveh's voice trembled with emotion as tears streamed down his face. With no time to spare, he lifted Alhaitham in his arms, his cries for help echoing through the chaos. "HELP ME! SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP US!" he pleaded, desperate for assistance in saving the love of his life.
A familiar doctor emerges from the room, catching Kaveh's attention. "Kaveh..."
"Albedo??" Kaveh snaps awake, his heart racing. "Albedo, please tell me if he's alright?!"
"I'm sorry," Albedo begins, his tone grave.
Without hesitation, Kaveh collapses to the floor, his sobs echoing through the corridor. "My. . ."
"No, no, he's not dead!" Albedo rushes to reassure him, gently lifting Kaveh back to a sitting position.
"Why do you sound like that? Don't scare me, goodness," Kaveh cries, wiping tears from his face, his body trembling with emotion. "That driver came out of nowhere. What kind of license does he have?!"
"We don't know why or how this happened, Kaveh," Albedo explains, sitting beside him. "But anyway, Alhaitham is not dead, but... he's in a coma, and I have suspected he has also lost his hearing."
Kaveh's eyes widened in shock. "What—No. No. That can't be. That can't be right."
"You have to believe me," Albedo urges gently.
The blonde continues to cry, feeling utterly hopeless. "How long is he going to be in this state?!"
"It depends on his body. He needs immediate and extensive treatment," Albedo reassures him. "I will do my best to stabilize him."
"Albedo... he's the only person... I..." Kaveh's voice breaks, his pain palpable. "I enjoy being open with..."
Albedo gently pats his back, his voice soft. "I know, boy. I know."
Both fall into a heavy silence, the weight of the situation hanging heavily between them until Albedo speaks again. "You have some visitors, by the way. Do come and have a look at your wife after you meet them.”
"Oh... Alright," Kaveh responds, watching as Albedo walks into the room where Alhaitham is being treated, his mind still reeling from the news. In the distance, he hears a faint voice calling his name.
"Kaveh!" A green-haired girl comes running towards him. "Kaveh, are you alright?!"
"Collei?" Kaveh's voice is filled with surprise as he reaches out to ruffle her hair. "Did you come here alone?"
"Oh! No! Cyno and Tighnari are on their way!" Collei replies, her concern evident in her expression. "Is he..."
"He's... He's in a coma," Kaveh responds, his voice trailing off weakly.
"W- What?" Collei's eyes widen in shock.
"Coma?" Another voice joins the conversation as a woman approaches them. It's none other than Madam Faruzan. "My, I heard about the drunk driving incident."
"Madam Faruzan..." Kaveh's voice carries a hint of pain.
"Sweetheart, don't force yourself to be formal with me. You're too heartbroken at the moment," Madam Faruzan says gently, placing a hand over her heart. "I hope he wakes up soon. Please, take some rest after this."
Kaveh simply nods, his gaze falling sadly.
"Cheer up. Why don't I come over to your place for some company, hmm? And not just me, everyone else too," Madam Faruzan suggests.
"Ah, you guys don't have to trouble yourselves... I'll be... fine, I guess," Kaveh murmurs, his voice barely audible.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," another voice chimes in as a figure with big, long ears approaches. It's Tighnari. "You shouldn't be stressing and feeling lonely all by yourself. You need company to help you heal."
Kaveh looks at Tighnari, his hand resting on his face. "I've gotten used to being alone before."
"Don't be ridiculous... I can't even think of a joke at a time like this," Cyno interjects, earning a playful hit on the head from Tighnari. "Ow…”
"Anyway, is Alhaitham inside?" Tighnari asks eagerly, his concern evident.
"Yes, he's inside. I should go see him now," Kaveh responds, mustering up the strength to stand. "Thank you guys for coming." With that, he walks slowly and weakly into the room, leaving the others to exchange glances.
"I'm here!" A girl arrives, clearly exhausted. "Oh... sorry I'm late... I was sleeping in the car..." She snorts and leans on Collei's shoulders for support, clearly tired from her journey.
"Layla, he already went inside, girl," Faruzan points out, crossing her arms. "Perhaps we could pay him a visit at his home after he's done enduring the pain of seeing his boyfriend."
"Oh... Zzz."
Tighnari nodded thoughtfully. "Alhaitham wouldn't let himself get into an accident like that."
"True, my prediction was that he was saving Kaveh and got himself into a trap," Cyno suggests, crossing his arms. "After all, Alhaitham was blinded when it comes to Kaveh."
"Alhaitham isn't blinded by him, but maybe he couldn't think of any other way," Tighnari adds, looking to the side. "Most importantly, why didn't the driver see Kaveh on the way?"
"Do you think this was some kind of plan to harm Alhaitham?" the blue-haired woman asks.
"No, I don't think it was meant to target him. Besides, what would he have done to provoke an enemy?" Tighnari counters.
Cyno looks at Tighnari. "His personality."
"Would you—" The black-haired man stops himself mid-sentence, realizing the implications of his words.
"Guys, maybe we should see Alhaitham too?" Collei suggests, her concern evident. Tighnari shakes his head in response. "Give Kaveh some time alone with him, Collei. Then we can visit. Otherwise, he won't be able to calm himself."
"Is there a bed in here?" Layla suddenly speaks up, catching them off guard with her question.
In the quiet room, Kaveh watches the monitor displaying Alhaitham's heartbeat, his arms crossed on the bed beside him as he gently strokes Alhaitham's arm. "At least... you're breathing," he murmurs softly.
"But how long... will you be awake..." He breaks down into tears. "This is my fault... Why did you save me..."
Albedo watches Kaveh, feeling his own heart ache at seeing him in such pain. "You know, I almost lost Xiao to a truck once."
Kaveh raises himself up, surprised.
"It was during college," Albedo explains, chuckling softly. "That was a long time ago. We never used to get along." He sits beside Kaveh, checking Alhaitham's breathing. "Xiao is stubborn, but we'd all do anything to save someone we care about," he says, smiling at Kaveh. "So don't blame yourself if Alhaitham saved you."
Gently, Kaveh lets out a sob, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "What if... Xiao..."
Albedo shakes his head. "I would blame myself a lot. I'd rather die than see him hurt because he still has so much to discover in the future. But thankfully, he's learned a lot because of me."
Softly, Kaveh begins to calm down. "You two are such a cute couple."
"And so are you," Albedo replies, smiling. "Alhaitham will wake up and be ready to hug you."
"I hope so... I want to cuddle him," Kaveh says, closing his eyes, tears still falling. "But thank you so much for this, Albedo. I owe you.”
"Ah, as a doctor with years of experience, even during college, it's my duty," Albedo responds with a gentle smile.
Kaveh smiles warmly, his eyes teary as he watches the heart monitor beep. "His heart is pure, actually."
"Oh, does he?" Albedo says, waking up and testing some blood samples from Alhaitham to check for any signs of sickness. "Do tell me about it."
"Well, actually, he may look quiet, but he's quite talkative with me," Kaveh explains, stroking Alhaitham's palm and then placing it against his own cheek. "He's so precious when he's the one talking and I'm the one listening... It's really rare for him."
"That's so cute," Albedo remarks, examining Alhaitham's blood. "Your boy is a very healthy person."
Kaveh smiles upon hearing that. "He is... But now..." He sighs heavily.
"Don't worry, he will recover. The car must have hit his head and back really hard. It's a miracle that he's at least alive," Albedo reassures him.
"I know, right? I still have hope..." Kaveh says, placing Alhaitham's palm against his own face.
Feeling calmer after talking to his best friend, Kaveh hears a knock on the door. "Come in," Albedo invites.
Tighnari enters first and checks on Alhaitham. "He's breathing at least," he comments with a sigh.
"But not awake," Cyno adds as he walks in.
Kaveh hums softly, watching them enter one by one, his gaze fixed on Alhaitham's still form.
"His head looks badly injured," Collei shivers, feeling sympathy for him.
"How did it happen, youngster?" Faruzan looks at Kaveh. "Did he save you?"
"Yes, he did. I was looking for Alhaitham on the street, and out of nowhere, the car came towards me?!" Kaveh explains, frustration evident in his voice.
"Ugh, drunkards," the lady mutters, crossing her arms in frustration.
"At least I drink with empathy," Kaveh retorts.
Everyone falls into a quiet contemplation, pondering how Kaveh will cope on his own and when Alhaitham will awaken. They chat amongst themselves, with the girls attempting to comfort the barely conscious Alhaitham.
"Albedo, if he ever wakes up, you should call all of us," Cyno suggests. "We're like family."
"My, I will, but I should be the one to call Kaveh first," Albedo replies with a playful smile.
Kaveh tilts his head as he approaches Alhaitham's bedside, allowing the girls to move aside for him. He gently places his hands on the bed sheets and tenderly kisses Alhaitham's lips.
"Please wake up soon, my dear," he whispers softly.